Before we entered I took Floyd in my arms. I kissed his head and gently put him in my enchanted purse. The man takes us through the bar and up the stairs, he lead us into a room and there we found Harry's owl, Hedwig, and my owl, Athena, sitting atop a chair.
"Hedwig!"
"Athena!"
"Right smart bird you've got there, Mr. Potter. Arrived only minutes before yourself." He said. I was used to being the least favorite. Harry was the symbol of purity, a true miracle. I, well, I was the Anti-Christ.
Across the room I saw the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, the man who found me in the streets and took me to Hogwarts, looking out the window. Yeah, at first he was kind of an ass but while I was staying with the Malfoys we got along. Cornelius cleared his throat from across the room, catching Harry's attention.
"I should tell you, Mr. Potter, earlier this evening your uncle's sister was located just south of Sheffield, circling a chimney stack." While he was talking, the hunchback man sat us down next to the fireplace, offering us food, to which we shook our heads. "The Accidental Magic Reversal Department was dispatched and she's been properly punctured and her memory modified. She has no recollection of the incident whatsoever."
The Minister then joined us at the fireplace. "So that's that, and no harm done." He smiled. "Pea soup?"
"No thank you. Minister... I don't understand. I broke the law. Underage wizards aren't allowed to use magic at home --"
"Oh, come now, Harry. The Ministry doesn't send people to Azkaban for blowing up their aunts!" The hunchback laughed and Fudge gave him a disapproving look. "On the other hand... running away like that... given the state of things... very, very irresponsible."
"'The state of things'?' I asked. The Minister looked at me.
"We have a killer on the loose, Elizabeth."
"Sirius Black." I said.
"But... what's that got to do with me?" Harry asked.
"Nothing of course. Just saying, thats what matters." He said with a fake smile. "And tomorrow you both will be on your way to Hogwarts."
"Both?" I asked.
"Yes, Elizabeth, you already missed a year. We cant have that again. Oh, and these are your new school books." The hunchback showed them as if he were one of those models on Game Shows. "I took the liberty of having them brought here. Now, Thomas show them to their rooms."
Thomas took us out of our chair. "Hagrid." "Athena." Harry and I called for our owls. They both landed on our arms.
"Oh by the way, I think it would be best if you wouldnt... wonder around."
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The next morning Floyd and I came down stairs and saw Hermione, Ron, Harry, and the Weasley family sitting at one of the tables. I sat down next to them, answering questions about why I didnt go to Hogwarts last year, and hearing from Hermione and Ron about the Chamber of Secrets.
"It's probably best that you didnt go. If you did, it probably wouldve been total chaos. I mean it already was... you know what I mean" Ron said. Ron then showed me a clip of newspaper showing him and the Weasleys in Egypt.
"Thats amazing!" I said, happy for him. I saw Mr. Weasley take Harry behind a wall. They were too far away to hear what they were talking about. I helped Floyd onto my lap and continued my conversations, trying to avoid the fact that they might be talking about Sirius.
